What are the relationships between four notions of stage change

Abstract

There have been a number of models for transition between stages, including Piaget’s dialectical model, Dawson’s use of Rasch score values, and the newest, the systematization resulting from micro-genetic research. This paper discusses four different accounts of stage transition, each delineating how to obtain data on stage transition for each method. It also discusses how the methods might be interrelated. First, the paper elaborates the original Piagetian model by systematizing the transition substeps using choice theory and signal detection. An examination of stage transition included scoring interviews or other participant responses for statements that reflect each of these steps. Secondly, the paper examines micro-developmental approaches. These approaches identify what may be potential subtask and subsubtask actions that may occur during transition to the next stage. Then, the paper describes and illustrates the use of Rasch analysis to quantify the extent to which a participant’s performance on an instrument is transitional. This approach might numerically pinpoint where in the transition an individual is but it did not measure the difficulty of the specific task subtask actions (strategies). A method for combining stage scores, subtask action scores, and the sub-subtask action scores was introduced. Finally, the paper presents a methodology for creating tasks and methods of support that directly measure transition. The purpose of this approach was twofold. First was to empirically test for the transition subtask and subsubtask actions extracted originally from the interview process. Second was to figure out how high in transition an action would get with support.